Lanier Career Center: Q&A

What is the Lanier Career Center?

The Lanier Career Center is an extension of the existing Hall County-Gainesville Evening High School. A partnership with Lanier Technical College provides on-site technical courses. The Lanier Career Center brings together other community partners who support students in their quest for a high school diploma.



How will the Lanier Career Center benefit Hall County?



The Lanier Career Center will allow the Hall County School System to serve students who are not being served in a way that addresses their specific barriers to high school completion. The Center will allow students, who may otherwise be unsuccessful in the regular school environment, to find success in academic and communication skills and encourage more students to finish their high school diploma program.



Hall County’s high school completion rate increased from 59% to 75% since Evening High opened in 1995, and the trend will continue with expansion of educational services. The Lanier Career Center will provide a focus for attracting new business and industry by demonstrating the community’s commitment to improving the workforce by the following:



• Train graduates for specific employment in fields that are needed by area employers.

• Maintain a close relationship with the economic development community to respond to employment needs changes.

•Work with community agencies whose goals are to improve the status of high-risk youth.



What is the next Step?



30+ acres has been purchased for the Lanier Career Center adjacent to Lanier Technical College. An architect has been hired, and preliminary meetings between the architect, Hall County Schools, Lanier Technical College and Ninth District Opportunity have resulted in a design plan. The next step will be formalizing the design plan and permitting the site. The targeted opening date is January 2004.



For more information, contact Susan Johnson at the Hall County-Gainesville Evening School, 770-531-2330, or e-mail: susan.johnson@hallco.org.